Racing is an inherently fickle sport. Sam Mayer is discovering that out the laborious method early within the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection season.
Mayer, who entered 2026 regarded as a title risk in his second 12 months with Haas Manufacturing unit Staff, suffered a mechanical failure in Saturday’s race at Rockingham Speedway, which relegated him to a last-place (thirty eighth) end within the North Carolina Training Lottery 250.
That poor end result additionally dropped Mayer simply exterior of the provisional 12-driver Chase subject by way of eight races. Mayer is thirteenth within the NOAPS standings, 30 factors behind Twelfth-place Taylor Grey for the ultimate postseason spot.
That is under no circumstances the place Mayer was anticipated to be at this level within the season when the haulers rolled into Daytona in February.
Sam Mayer is struggling early in 2026
Mayer already has 4 finishes of twenty third or worse this season and just one high 5, which got here at Phoenix. With out his 37 stage factors, he’d be even farther down within the standings.
Mayer’s poor begin hasn’t totally been his fault, as evidenced by a crash at Daytona and his mechanical points at Rockingham on Saturday. However for a driver who was regarded as a championship risk, his tough begin, in contrast with the new begin of his HFT teammate in Sheldon Creed, has been out of the peculiar and worrying.
An absence of velocity and poor outcomes at Bristol on April 11 will solely add gasoline to the hearth as Mayer and the No. 41 workforce attempt to flip issues round.
